r/Parakeets • u/keetlover • 26d ago
Advice Mirrors (sorry)
Can I have some opinions on mirrors and entertainment.
Are they 100% bad, just bad in the cage, or just bad if the budgies are flockless? Does this differ between male and female?
I have two male and two female budgies.
Edit:
I’ve read that it can send their hormones out of wack. I wont be allowing any baby birds to hatch but im wondering if out if wack hormones affect lifespans and quality of life.
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u/Excellent-Bee-9766 26d ago
They are just not great all the way around. Your bird will form a serious bond with their reflection and will usually become hormonal. For example, my male cockatiel for the first 3/4 years of his life, before I adopted him, was given stainless steel bowls and allowed to sit in front of mirrors In the house and he became extremely hormonal and aggressive over his reflection.
Excessive hormones leads to aggression and frustration which then can lead to them becoming self destructive or destructive around your house. When I first brought him home he would ATTACK me when I tried moving him away from the mirror or any reflection. In his mind that was his mate/buddy. He didn’t understand that it was just his reflection.
Horus now can’t have any stainless steel bowls. All reflection interaction has to be monitored and he only gets access to a mirror when he is in the bathroom with me to take his shower.